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Journals / Harran Tarım ve Gıda Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 30 Sayı: 1

Hybridisation of Turkish isolates of Cordyceps militaris: cultivation method and biological-efficiency analysis

Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr. Türk izolatlarının melezlenmesi: yetiştirme teknikleri ve biyolojik etkinlik analizi

Yavuz Selim Şahin(SAKARYA UYGULAMALI BİLİMLER ÜNİVERSİTESİ, ZİRAAT FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-6848-1849
Hasan Şahin(BURSA TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-8915-000X
Şeyma Hümeyra Çakır(Kırıkkale Üniversitesi)0000-0003-3161-2117
Pages
843–855
Publication Date
2026-03-22
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study therefore underscores the commercialisation potential of indigenous C. militaris and provides a foundation for future strain-improvement and bioproduct development programmes

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Cordyceps militaris is a filamentous entomopathogenic fungus prized for its spectrum of antiviral metabolites and its promise as an eco-friendly mycoinsecticide, yet these qualities vary markedly among genotypes.
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Key Findings & Data:Ten hybrids were generated by pairing isolates with complementary mating-type genes (MAT1-1 × MAT1-2), propagated in liquid culture, and evaluated on rice substrate.
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Conclusion & Impact:The study therefore underscores the commercialisation potential of indigenous C. militaris and provides a foundation for future strain-improvement and bioproduct development programmes
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Cordyceps militaris · biyolojik etkinlik · kültüre alma

Abstract

Cordyceps militaris is a filamentous entomopathogenic fungus prized for its spectrum of antiviral metabolites and its promise as an eco-friendly mycoinsecticide, yet these qualities vary markedly among genotypes. To assess the breeding potential of Turkish germplasm, fruiting bodies were collected from Ümraniye City Forest (İstanbul); single ascospores were isolated, and the fastest-growing, morphologically vigorous colonies were retained. Ten hybrids were generated by pairing isolates with complementary mating-type genes (MAT1-1 × MAT1-2), propagated in liquid culture, and evaluated on rice substrate. Biological efficiency (BE = [fresh stroma ÷ dry substrate × 100]) ranged from 0% to 37.5%; one hybrid failed to fruit, whereas Y08 × Y33 achieved a near-commercial 37.5% biological efficiency. Although these local hybrids currently trail top commercial strains, the dataset highlights substantial heritable variation and suggests that incorporating simple gene-editing upgrades could elevate well-adapted Turkish lines to ≥ 50% efficiency without sacrificing regional ecological fitness. The study therefore underscores the commercialisation potential of indigenous C. militaris and provides a foundation for future strain-improvement and bioproduct development programmes

Özet

Geniş bir antiviral metabolit yelpazesi ayrıca çevre dostu bir mantar bazlı insektisit olma potansiyeli nedeniyle değerli görülen Cordyceps militaris , hiflerden oluşan bir entomopatojenik mantardır. Ancak bu özellikler genotipler arasında belirgin şekilde değişiklik göstermektedir. Türk genetik materyalinin ıslah potansiyelini değerlendirmek amacıyla mantarlar Ümraniye Kent Ormanı’ndan (İstanbul) toplanmış; tek askosporlar izole edilmiş ve en hızlı büyüyen, morfolojik olarak en canlı koloniler korunmuştur. Tamamlayıcı eşleşme tipi genlerine (MAT1-1 × MAT1-2) sahip izolatların eşleştirilmesiyle on hibrit üretilmiş, sıvı kültürde çoğaltılmış ve pirinç substratında değerlendirilmiştir. Biyolojik etkinlik (BE = [taze stroma ÷ kuru substrat × 100]) %0 ile %37,5 arasında değişmiş; bir hibrit meyve vermemişken, Y08 × Y33 hibriti ticari seviyeye yakın %37,5 biyolojik etkinlik elde etmiştir. Bu yerel hibritler mevcut en iyi ticari hatların gerisinde kalsa da, veri seti önemli kalıtsal varyasyonu ortaya koymakta ve basit gen düzenleme geliştirmelerinin bölgesel ekolojik uyumu koruyarak iyi uyarlanmış Türk hatlarını ≥ %50 etkinliğe yükseltebileceğini düşündürmektedir. Bu çalışma dolayısıyla yerli C. militaris ’in ticarileştirilme potansiyelini vurgulamakta ve gelecekteki hat geliştirme ve biyopestisit geliştirme programları için bir temel sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Şahin, Y. S., Şahin, H., Çakır, Ş. H. (2026). Hybridisation of Turkish isolates of Cordyceps militaris: cultivation method and biological-efficiency analysis. Harran Tarım ve Gıda Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 30 Sayı: 1, 843–855. https://doi.org/10.29050/harranziraat.1824932

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